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  • Fagernes, Valdres

    Fagernes: The Perfect Stop on Your Road-trip

    Fagernes: The Perfect Stop on Your Road-trip

    If you’re driving away from Oslo towards Bergen or the mountains, you may end up passing through Fagernes (Far-ger-nez). At first, it looks like a standard town with a shopping mall, a huge hotel, and tiny main street. However, Fagernes is worth stopping in. It’s the main town in the traditional district of Valdres and is proud of its rich cultural traditions. There’s an excellent museum, walking paths, and festivals here to take advantage of.

    In September 2020, when I was on my 10-day road-trip around Norway, we stopped in Fagernes for the night. We were between seeing the Numedal Valley and the Valdresflye Scenic Road. We absolutely loved Fagernes and had a lot of fun wandering through the town. Here’s a collection of things I learned about Fagernes during my visit, as well as what you should do in the town and where you can go from there.

    In this article...

    Fagernes Travel Guide
    Norway Travel Guide

    The Pretty Headland

    Fagernes is not an ancient town, though it is likely farming has been taking place here for thousands of years. Most of the town was underwater until the 18th century. The farms were high on the hillside and the lake Fagernes sits on was much deeper than it is today. When the lake began to retreat, a town emerged. The name means ‘pretty headland’ (Fager = pretty and nes = headland) and it certainly is.

    If you drive on Kongevegen (E16) you’ll see signs just like this at roadside stops

    A Perfect Spot on the King's Road

    The Valdres Valley is part of the King’s Road (Kongevegen), the old road between Bergen and Oslo. The road was built through the valley in the late 1700s and was the most important road in the country. It was also the first road where people could drive a horse and cart between the east and the west. It replaced the old track from the Middle Ages and postal road from the 17th century.

    Because of this position, Fagernes emerged as a trading town around 1857. Otto Stuve (1822-1871) is considered to be the founder of Fagernes, and one of the first names for the town was Stuvenes. He came to the area in 1857 when there was not much here and bought a plot of land. With this land, he built a lavish country store and hotel building. Eventually, others came to the area to establish a small trading business. The downtown area still has many of the old businesses. There are English-language signs on each building explaining its history. Sure, the English version is just a short overview of what the Norwegian part of the text says, but it’s still something.

    Examples of the signs you’ll see on buildings (My Photo)

     

    Tourism is an important industry

    Again, thanks to the King’s Road, Fagernes grew almost immediately as a tourist town. We also have Otto Stuve to thank for this; he did build the first hotel, after all. After his sudden death, his brothers inherited the property and quickly sold it off. The hotel then changed hands many times.

    It was the Fosheim family who gave the hotel some much-needed love. Ole Fosheim bought the property around 1882 and sold it to his son, Lage, who was 23 years old. With his wife Guri, they operated the hotel for 56 years until retiring in 1938. During that time the hotel was expanded and gained notoriety for its facilities and its great location.

    Sadly, the hotel burned down in 1946 and everything in the oldest part was destroyed. Fagernes Hotel did not operate for another 20 years. In 2000, it became the Quality Hotel & Resort Fagernes, and now it is known as Scandic Valdres. It is where we stayed on our trip and I highly recommend it. More on that further down.

    Outside the Valdres Folkemuseum (My Photo)

    Valdres Folk Museum

    The must-see of Fagernes is its open-air museum. I know, travelling around Norway shows that almost every town has an open-air museum. Trust me, the Valdres Folkemuseum is one of the best. Founded in 1901, the museum contains 95 houses and constructions with around 20,000 items. It is currently the fourth-largest Norwegian outdoor museum.

    If you visit in summer, you’ll be treated with folk music festivals, theatre performances and more.

    Some of the buildings inside the museum are very old. For example, Hovistabburet is from the 13th century and has an unusual room called the virgin room. Handeloftet is the main farmhouse from the period 1530-1640. The buildings are beautiful and from the Valdres valley, so they are worth checking out.

    A Town Rich in Traditions, and Rakfisk

    As you can see from the Folkmuseum, Fagernes is proud of its cultural traditions. They have a unique bunad design, dialect, and are well-known for their folk music. Every year the Jørn Hilme Festival takes place. It’s Norway’s oldest folk music festival and is named after the most famous fiddler from Valdres.

    Another important tradition here is the production of rakfisk, a fermented and salted fish. The fish used is typically trout or char, which you can fish in the lakes. It is fermented over two or three months, or even up to a year. It’s eaten without cooking and has a salty flavour and strong smell. You’ll see signs on the road with farmers selling rakfisk, or you can attend the Rakfisk Festival in Fagernes. Each year, they crown a rakfisk champion. The festival usually takes place in November. Click here to view their website.

    Fagernes is proud that there are many summer farms in the surrounding area, and you can visit many of them yourself. There, the farmers give an overview of the old Norwegian farming traditions. This is a great opportunity to see the real Norway. Click here for more info.

    Fagernes (My Photo)

    Close to Norway's Natural Beauty

    The biggest reason people come to Fagernes is because of its proximity to some of Norway’s most beautiful places. Fagernes has good connections to the Valdresflye Scenic Road, the Jotunheimen National Park, the West Norwegian fjords and the Gudbrandsdalen Valley. The nearby resort Beitostølen is famous in Norway for its great skiing facilities, and is very popular in the winter. In the summer, people come here to hike the king’s road.

    Vesleøya

    There are places to walk in Fagernes itself. The town sits on the lake Strandefjorden. There’s a walking path that goes along it from Scandic Valdres to the Folkemuseum and beyond.

    In Eastern Norway, you’ll see a lot of lakes called ‘fjords’. In Norwegian, fjord can mean many different types of bodies of waters, and they don’t necessarily have to be connected to the sea.

    From this walking path, you can take a bridge over to an island called Vesleøya, which is absolutely beautiful.

    The most popular hike in Fagernes is to Kvitberg, a historic farmstead high on the hill that was inhabited until 1936. The remains are still there today. It’s a hard but short hike, and the signs start from the tourist information office. Click here for more info.

    Where to stay

    As mentioned above, Scandic Valdres is by far the largest hotel in the area. While it is a little dated, we found the hotel to be clean, cosy, and the staff to be incredibly friendly and helpful. There’s a lovely restaurant inside (where you can try rakfisk) as well as a bar. Almost every room has a lovely view. There’s a huge parking area outside, and you’re a stone’s throw from walking paths and the Folkemuseum. Also, in 2019 the hotel won the prize for having the best breakfast in Norway. I can attest to this; the breakfast is great.

    There is a camping ground located in Fagernes right next to the Folkemuseum. If you don’t have a caravan, they have very cute cabins with private bathrooms from 795 NOK for a night.

    Many people from Oslo own cabins in Valdres. If you want to experience Norwegian cabin life I recommend getting on AirBnB and finding a Norwegian cabin.

    Where to go from here

    As mentioned above, Fagernes is in a good spot with road connections to many wonderful places. Fagernes is on the E16 (European Highway 16) which follows the King’s Road from Oslo to Bergen. If you keep following the E16 you’ll reach Vang before crossing the mountains to Borgund, where you can see the famous stave church. From there, it’s easy to get to Flåm and Bergen.

    If you follow the E16 towards Oslo and then turn-off and follow the Fv33, you reach Lake Mjøsa, the largest in Norway and home to popular towns like Hamar and Lillehammer. From there, it’s a short drive to the Gudbrandsdalen valley.

    If you follow the Fv51 south, you reach Gol and eventually Geilo, Norway’s oldest ski town. There you can cross the Hardangervidda Plateau to Eidfjord and the Hardangerfjord, the second-longest fjord in Norway.

    Lastly, and what we did, is follow the Fv51 north. You’ll reach Beitostølen, the popular ski resort, and then be at the Valdresflye Scenic Road, one of Norway’s national tourist roads. On the other end of this road is the E15, which links you to Geiranger and the famous Geirangerfjord. Or you can continue on the E6 to the E136 and onto Åndalsnes (a very famous road with Trollstigen) or towards Trondheim.

    After we did Valdresflye, we crossed over to Gudbrandsdalen before making our way to Røros. Just note that the Fv51 closes in winter.

    As you can see, there are so many options from Fagernes. It’s a great stopover town when leaving Oslo and heading into the countryside. Spend the afternoon and night in Fagernes, and on the next day continue onto somewhere wonderful in Norway 🙂

    You can see my videos of the drive from Fagernes to Vang (the King’s Road) and then from Beitostølen to Gudbrandsdalen on my YouTube channel. Hopefully, I’ll be able to record more videos of the area, just got to convince the husband we need to do another road-trip!

    Fagernes Travel Guide
    Norway Travel Guide
  • Geilo, Hallingdal, Oslo & the East, Stave Churches

    Seeing Double at Torpo Stave Church

    Seeing Double at Torpo Stave Church

    If you’re driving on the E7 between east and west Norway, Torpo Stave Church is one of the best roadside stops on the eastern side. The town of Torpo itself is a little sleepy and lacking in things to do, but the stave church is a true highlight. After all, it is one of the oldest stave churches in the country. It is the only preserved stave church in the traditional district of Hallingdal. It’s unique as the new church stands immediately next to it. It creates this intriguing juxtaposition between old and new church architecture in Norway.

    I have been to Torpo Stave Church a few times; I always make an effort to have my groups see it when we are driving on the E7. However, in September 2020 on my road-trip, I decided to make a quick stop there to take some photos. The church wasn’t open due to it being off-season. Still, I got some great photos of the outside and did a little research on the church.

    Here’s what you need to know about Torpo Stave Church for your visit.

    In this article...

    Geilo Travel Guide
    Norway Travel Guide

    One of the oldest stave churches in Norway

    Torpo Stave Church
    Visiting Torpo Stave Church

    An early photo of the two churches together // Thomhav, C. Christensen (1857-1937) // Riksantikvaren

    There is a little back and forth about when Torpo Stave Church was built. Some say it was constructed around 1160, others say it may be closer to the end of the 12th century. In any case, it’s certain that Torpo Stave Church was the first church in Hallingdal and is the only preserved church. It’s also believed there was an older church on this site before the stave church, furthering the importance of Torpo Stave Church.

    According to a rune inscription, a man named Torolf built the church. A person with the same name is listed as the builder for Ål Stave Church. Ål is the next town over if you’re driving towards Oslo. Its stave church was torn down. The plank with the rune inscription is in the Historical Museum in Oslo, but you will see other inscriptions on the church. If you take a guided tour, the staff will highlight it. At the time, Hallingdal (the valley) belonged to the diocese of Stavanger. There is a rumour that one of the bishops of Stavanger is buried under the church, but it is just a rumour.

    There is another stave church surviving from Hallingdal, Gol Stave Church (Gol is a major town on the E7). However, Gol Stave Church now stands at the open-air museum (Folke Museum) in Oslo. There used to be many more churches in the valley, but they were all demolished at one point or another.

    Torpo Stave Church
    Torpo Stave Church (My Photo)

    Changes from the Reformation onwards

    After the Reformation, when Norway went from being Catholic to Lutheran, all stave churches underwent huge changes. Common for all churches is the addition of pulpits and pews. Windows were added later on. All the windows on Torpo Stave Church are from the 17th century. In the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries the church was richly decorated. When the Preservation Society bought the church, they removed these decorations.

    From 1725 onwards, Torpo Stave Church had private ownership.

    Details of the tarring on the church exterior

    Preservation for Ancient Norwegian Monuments takes over

    In 1851, Norway introduced a new law that affected stave churches. The law required that all churches have enough seating for 30% of the village’s population. Towns tore down their stave churches, as they didn’t meet the requirement. After all, we only have 28 of the original 1,000 remaining. In 1875, Ål Municipality took over Torpo Stave Church with plans of renovating it to accommodate the new law. When the Preservation for Norwegian Ancient Monuments heard of this, they knew it would damage the church’s original appearance. So, they set out to buy it. They tore down the choir while financial negotiations were underway. In 1880, the Preservation purchased the church. They took out all the post-Reformation decorations and kept everything in the remaining church original.

    Gorgeous detail around the portal

    Similarities to other stave churches

    Today, only the nave (central part) of the church is remaining. In the nave, you’ll see the original 14 pillars holding up the saddle roof. Inside, it looks very similar to the torn-down stave church as well as the stave churches in Sogn, particularly Borgund and Kaupanger. It’s believed that Torpo improved the construction method of Urnes Stave Church and took elements from Borgund Stave Church.

    Photo credit: Nina Aldin Thune / kunsthistorie.com

    Richly painted decorations

    The choir, which was demolished shortly before the Preservation bought it, had rich paintings. Luckily at the time, the paintings were in the nave, saving them. The vault had richly decorated paintings depicting Christ, the Apostles, and the legend of St. Margaret, who the church is dedicated to. This vault is the most famous part of Torpo Stave Church. It is some of the oldest decorative paintwork in Norway.

    Torpo Stave Church (My Photo)

    Torpo Stave Church (My Photo)

    The exterior

    If you don’t want to pay for entrance to the church, or perhaps you arrive off-season as I did, you are still in for a treat. Dragons, vines and animal heads decorate the portals. A bell tower stood next to the stave church; this is common of many stave churches – bells were too heavy for the supporting beams. However, it is gone due to the new church. The small wooden building across from the church was a room for the church people; it was the only place with heating. Still today, Torpo Stave Church is without electricity and heating.

    The new church

    Torpo built a new church in 1880. It is in a Neo-Gothic style and seats 200. In the 1970s, parts of the stave church’s choir were found under the new church. The new church is still in use and is not part of the admission to Torpo Stave Church.

    Information sign out the front

    Visiting Torpo Stave Church

    Location & Parking

    The stave church is located in the village of Torpo, which is off the E7 between Bergen and Oslo. At this point, you’re roughly halfway between Geilo and Gol, which will be on all the yellow roadsigns indicating how far away the next town is. You get a glimpse of the stave church from the highway, but it’s best to turn off and visit it properly. There are brown tourist signs on the highway pointing in the right direction, so it’s hard to miss it.

    Considering the popularity of this church, there’s very little parking. There is a small parking lot across the street, but I am unsure how busy it will get in the summer months. Please note that there is a private home next to the parking lot; don’t park in their space! They have signs up saying “privat” or “private”.

    Opening Hours & Admission Fees

    Typically, the church is open every day from the beginning of June to the end of August from 10am to 6pm. There’s a sign out the front indicating its opening hours, and you can find up-to-date information here.

    There is an admission fee of 70 NOK to enter the church (up-to-date info can be found here).

    Bathroom facilities are at the church, but there is no food/drinks place. You can get food and drinks from the Joker supermarket down the road.

    Travel Suggestions

    If you are thinking of staying in the area, I’d recommend staying in Geilo. Gol is a little industrial, whereas in Geilo you’ll get all the charm of Norway’s oldest ski town. Torpo Stave Church is a 30-minute drive east of Geilo and a 15-minute drive west of Gol. However, the detour is quick enough that you can still drive all the way to Bergen or Oslo.

    When we did this drive, we had left the Numedal Valley, had lunch in Geilo (so many good options) and were then making our way to Fagernes, where we spent the night. The following day, we went on the Valdres National Tourist Road – there are more stave churches in the area!

    Visitor info for Geilo can be found at the bottom of my Numedal Valley page (click here).

    Tell me what you think!

    Have you visited Torpo Stave Church or do you have any questions for me? Let me know in the comments 🙂

    Geilo Travel Guide
    Norway Travel Guide
  • Numedal Valley, Oslo & the East, Stave Churches

    Uvdal Stave Church

    Uvdal Stave Church

    The Numedal Valley contains the best-preserved collection of medieval buildings in Norway. When driving from Kongsberg towards Geilo, you’re treated with gorgeous views, ancient farms, and many stave churches. Four, to be precise. The last one before Geilo is Uvdal Stave Church, and much like the others, it doesn’t disappoint.

    Compared to the other stave churches (Flesberg, Rollag and Nore), Uvdal is high on the hillside. Moreover, it is still surrounded by ancient farm buildings. This church was in use until the late 19th century when the town built a new church further down the valley. The new Uvdal Church looks exactly like a stave church, so don’t get the two mixed up!

    In this article...

    RØdberg Travel Guide
    Norway Travel Guide

    History of Uvdal Stave Church

    Like the other churches in the valley, the exact date is unknown. However, it’s believed Uvdal is from around 1169 thanks to the dating of the timber used in the construction. Much like Nore, it is a single nave stave church with a central mast. The mast is to hold up the tower with the bell, and these two stave churches are unique in Norway. Also, like the other churches, there are remains of a previous church underneath.

    In 1978, archaeological excavations found a large number of objects. They found 552 coins: 44 are from 1177-1202 (the reign of King Sverre), 40 are from 1200 and 120 are from 1217-1263 (the reign of King Håkon). Textiles and other objects were also found. One of the most interesting discoveries is a pilgrims mark of St. Olav on a wall. It’s from the 13th century and is interesting as this is not a pilgrims church or on the way to Nidaros Cathedral, where Olav is buried.

    In written material, Uvdal is first mentioned in 1327.

    Expansion & Renovations

    The original stave churches were very small, and over the centuries they became impractical. Because of this, they have been constantly expanded, renovated, and redesigned. For Uvdal, it’s almost as if each century has added something to the church.

    The first extensive renovations came after the Reformation in 1537. Between 1651 and 1682 Knut Jørgensen Winter was a parish priest in the valley. He came from Denmark and had big plans for the Rollag, Nøre and Uvdal stave churches. In the 1650s the church got a flat ceiling, and in 1656 the interior was painted. Furthermore, in 1684, the church got an extended chancel. In the 1720s and 1730s, further extensions changed it into a cruciform church (cross-like floor plan).

    Exterior Decoration

    In 1760 the exterior got panels; before then, it was bare timber. The church has always been covered in tar, as are all stave churches.

    One of the most interesting aspects of the church is its western portal, or western entrance. It is richly carved from the late Middle Ages and includes a depiction of Gunnar. Gunnar is the lead character in the Volsungesaga, a pre-Christian saga based on ancient Germanic myths.

    Gunnar depicted on another stave church

    In the story, Gunnar murders his brother-in-law and hides his gold. Atle, the King of Hunaland, wants Gunnar to tell him where the gold is. So, Atle ties Gunnar’s hands behind his back and throw him in a snake pit – a common theme in old sagas. Gunnar manages to play a harp with his feet, and all the snakes fall asleep. Well, except for one, who kills Gunnar, but still. Gunnar is a hero! When Gunnar dies, Atle is unable to ever learn the hiding place of the gold. Gunnar in the snake pit is a very popular motif in Norwegian and Swedish medieval art, and snakes are found all over stave churches.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9vMyCQCP24

    Interior Decoration

    In 1760 the exterior got panels; before then, it was bare timber. The church has always been covered in tar, as are all stave churches.

    One of the most interesting aspects of the church is its western portal, or western entrance. It is richly carved from the late Middle Ages and includes a depiction of Gunnar. Gunnar is the lead character in the Volsungesaga, a pre-Christian saga based on ancient Germanic myths.

    Gunnar depicted on another stave church

    In the story, Gunnar murders his brother-in-law and hides his gold. Atle, the King of Hunaland, wants Gunnar to tell him where the gold is. So, Atle ties Gunnar’s hands behind his back and throw him in a snake pit – a common theme in old sagas. Gunnar manages to play a harp with his feet, and all the snakes fall asleep. Well, except for one, who kills Gunnar, but still. Gunnar is a hero! When Gunnar dies, Atle is unable to ever learn the hiding place of the gold. Gunnar in the snake pit is a very popular motif in Norwegian and Swedish medieval art, and snakes are found all over stave churches.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9vMyCQCP24

    Interior Decoration

    The oldest decorations inside the church are from 1656. However, most of the decoration comes from the period 1721-1723 and the painting style is Rococo. Rich decorations of flowers and vines cover the interior. The artist (or artists) is unknown, but it’s clear inspiration came from European art.
    Parts of the medieval floor are preserved. Until 1620, the only light came from portholes high up, but that year two windows were put in. The pews were added in 1624. It’s not clear when the church got its pulpit and altarpiece, but they were there in 1656.

    The most interesting interior item is no longer inside the church. It is a 30cm high crucifix of bronze and enamel. It came from Lingoes in France and was made during the 13th century. It’s not known how a French object made its way to this remote valley. Today you can see the crucifix in the Cultural History Museum in Oslo.

    The church today

    Uvdal Stave Church was taken out of use in 1893 when the new church was completed in the new village centre. Services occasionally take place here in the summer, but mostly the church is a museum piece. It’s probably lucky the village was built up in a different location, otherwise, the stave church may have been torn down.

    Visiting the church

    You can visit Uvdal Stave Church throughout the year, but it’s only open in the summer months.

    The church is open daily from the beginning of June until the end of August. Tickets cost 80 NOK for an adult.

    Up-to-date opening hours and admission fees can be found here: https://www.stavechurch.com/uvdal-stave-church/?lang=en

    RØdberg Travel Guide
    Norway Travel Guide
  • Numedal Valley, Oslo & the East, Stave Churches

    Nore Stave Church

    Nore Stave Church

    Nore Stave Church is the third church you’ll pass if driving up the medieval Numedal Valley from Oslo towards Geilo. And, like its neighbours, it has unique qualities. What makes this church special is that its floor plan is unknown in Norway. It is an original cruciform church. In comparison, the other stave churches were rebuilt as cruciform churches much later. Additionally, Nore Stave Church is well decorated. Its interior is special in so many ways.

    In this article, I explore what makes this church so special. This includes its history, architecture, and decoration. At the bottom you’ll find some info on visiting the church.

    In this article...

    RØDberg Travel Guide
    Norway Travel Guide

    History of Nore Stave Church & Nore Community

    Nore is a tiny village located along the Norefjord, a lake that continues on from the Numedal River. On the west side of the lake is the original settlement, including farms and the church. On the east is the main road through the valley. The bridge is from 1930; before then, the locals had to take boats across. The word ‘Nore’ comes from the Old Norse ‘nore’ meaning “narrow sound or strait”, referring to the lake. Nore stave church is south of the main town.

    What about the church? Well, its age is somewhat unknown. Looking at the wood, it’s believed that the church is from some time after 1167. The portal is the same age as the one found in Flesberg, which is from between 1163 and 1189. The centre mast in Nore was felled in the winter of 1167/1168, and it’s believed they built the church with fresh wood, likely in the following summer.

    During an archaeological excavation, archaeologists found coins under the floor. In total there are 276 coins, and 24 of them from Håkon Håkonsson’s reign (1217-1263).

    The unique building style of Nore Stave Church

    The floor plan of Nore Stave Church is unique. It is built as a cruciform church with an even floor plan; a style unknown in any other church in Norway. The big question is whether it was originally built as a cruciform church, or if later builders added the arms. In other stave churches, the cruciform floor plan came much later. Stone churches in Norway didn’t have this floor plan either. The closest similarity is a church in Kalundborg, Denmark, built in the late 12th century. It’s pretty much unknown where this Norwegian builder took inspiration. Other stave churches may have had this style, but they are all gone. After all, there are only 28 stave churches remaining of the original 1000.

    There’s lots of evidence for age of the floor plan. First off, the staves in the middle walls are younger than the corner staves, likely from the 15th century. Still, there are grooves in the staves indicating that the centre mast (the large vertical beam in the middle of the church) is from the original construction. Therefore, it is likely that the younger staves were added to reinforce or repair the church.

    The Centre Mast (Source)

    In the middle of the church is its central mast, a large vertical beam. It supports the tower (turret) on top of the church. While the tower is from 1730, the central mast is dated to the original stave church. This suggests that there has always been a tower on the church, it was simply replaced later on. The tower and central mast had to be strong enough to support and ring the church bells. It is uncommon to find a tower on a stave church; often the church bells were kept in a separate building as their weight was too much for the stave church.

    The uniqueness of the architecture has given the style the name “Nummedals-type”.

    Nore Stave Church around 1930 (Source)

    Renovation in the 17th & 18th centuries

    Like many stave churches, especially the ones in Numedal Valley, Nore underwent huge changes between 1650 and 1750. The first renovations added the chancel, transepts, western porch and sacristy. Only the nave (the middle of the church) is in its original form.

    The overall construction is complex with bits of the old and the new scattered around the church. Still, the main structure of the stave church is original and in tact. Moreover, builders reused older parts of the church in newer constructions.

    Saving Nore Stave Church

    Like many other stave churches in Norway, Nore was old and in desperate need of repair in the 19th century. The locals wanted a newer and larger church. There was interest in demolishing the stave church. However, in 1888, art historian and author Lorentz Dietrichson (1834-1917) purchased the church. He had a major role in founding the Society for the Preservation of Ancient Norwegian Monuments (Fortidsminneforeningen) and donated Nore Stave Church to the Society in 1890.

    Nore Stave Church Today

    Restoration Work

    The last comprehensive restoration was done in 1927, after the Society took over. At this point, the church was leaning strongly and had to be straightened. Some beams were replaced due to rotting. The terrain under the floor had to be levelled.

    The interior of Nore Stave Church (Source)

    Medieval Crucifix (Source)

    Interior & Exterior Decoration

    Nore Stave Church is beautiful both inside and out – sounds like a motivational poster! But seriously, the decoration of this church makes it special.

    The decoration is from all time periods. For example, under the pulpit and to the west of the nave are remains of benches from the Middle Ages. These were the only seats; before the Lutheran Reformation you had to stand in the church. The seats were for the old and the sick. There are two rune inscriptions in the church, one being a prayer saying “grant me all that is good.”

    Most of the medieval inventory is gone, except for the baptismal font. There are two carved crucifixes in the church and they are from the 13th century. They’ve undergone some surgery over the years, though. One got a new face and the other got new arms and a thick second coat of paint!

    Lots of images and sketches of the church can be found at snl.no (click here)

    Most of the decoration is from 1650-1750. The wall paintings are mostly from this time, and the paintings depict Bible verses, leaves, flowers and fruit. The decoration is very like Flesberg, which is from the same period. The altarpiece is a copy of the one in Kongsberg Church, also like Flesberg. The portal on the porch is decorated with animal and plant imagery. There are also two winged dragons (a pagan symbol) that have wound their necks around each other. Above the portal is a large plate with embossed lions that holds the Danish/Norwegian King Frederik IV’s crowned monogram. Below the monogram is the date “1723”.

    Stave Churches were not built with windows. If anything, they had tiny circular windows. After all, glass was not common in Norway at the time and it can get very cold in the winter! The windows on the church were added to the church in the 17th century.

    Grave of one of the priests of Nore Stave Church.

    Surrounding Cemetery

    The cemetery is older than the church. Archaeological excavations show that an older burial ground stood under the church. Two medieval tombs were found under the church, and one theory is that it was the builder of the church and his wife. The graves were sunken and the area was levelled by filling in the graves.

    It’s believed that another church stood here before the present church, but it was in a slightly different position. The oldest graves are to the south than those from the time of the stave church. The older church may have had a different orientation.

    The cemetery is surrounded by an old stone fence. The village road used to pass through the graveyard. On the north side is a stone slab with an iron ring to tie a horse on.

    Visiting the church

    The church is open from mid-June to mid-August every day between 10am and 6pm. Tickets cost 70 NOK for an adult. The up-to-date information can be found here.

    There are brown tourist road signs pointing to the church and it can be seen from a distance, so it’s fairly easy to find. Just follow Fv40 (the main highway through the Numedal Valley) and turn off to cross the bridge.

    There is a parking area in front of the church (free).

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  • Numedal Valley, Oslo & the East, Stave Churches

    Rollag Stave Church

    Rollag Stave Church

    Rollag Stave Church is the second church along the road in the historic Numedal Valley. The valley has the largest number of medieval wooden buildings in Norway. If you drive up the valley from Kongsberg to Geilo, you’ll pass many of these ancient buildings.

    The stave church is just off the highway and north of the village of Rollag. Moreover, while it has undergone many changes since it was built, it’s still well worth visiting.

    In this article...

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    History of Rollag Stave Church

    An old photo of Rollag Stave Church. Likely early 20th century. (Source)

    It’s believed the first church in Rollag stood here around the second half of the 12th century. Moreover, the church we have today may be the second one on the site. Rollag Stave Church is in documents from 1425. The church is older than that, though.

    The most famous parish priest is the Danish Knut Jørgensen Winter. He came from Jutland in 1651 to be the priest and his first task was to rebuild the church. Winter first painted the inside and added benches and windows. He also had a new choir and altarpiece built. On the outside of the church, he had the monogram of Christian V placed on the wall. The church is unique for its heavy Danish influence.

    Later restorations expanded and changed the church dramatically. During the last restoration, attempts were made to bring it closer to Winter’s 17th century church.

    Architecture

    Rollag Stave Church is a single nave simple stave church. This is the most basic type of stave church construction. It has a square nave. It has four outer corner staves supporting the structure.

    In 1660, Rollag was rebuilt as a cruciform church, which was the style of the time. Cruciform churches have a floor-plan of a cross. Almost everything was replaced, though the original staves are still in place. They are just hidden under the modern construction. Further expansions took place in the 17th and 18th centuries. The nave is longer, the church received a porch, and the roof was raised.

    The last major restoration took place in 1932. They brought the church back to an earlier style.

    While there isn’t much of the original church left, Rollag is still regarded as one of the most beautiful rural churches. A unique feature of the church is that every generation has left their mark. They have expanded and rebuilt the church as they needed, demolished and painted walls. They have added and removed bits from the church to suit their needs.

    Exterior Decoration

    Much of the exterior is from the 17th/18th century restoration. The windows, tower, and extensions are not from the original stave church. If you are looking for the original church, it’s the core centre.

    A unique feature of the church is the monogram outside. The outer wall monogram of Christian V is from 1697. The board also has the inscription ‘IHS’ at the top (Iesus Hominum Salvator – Jesus, Saviour of Men). This monogram is the first carved in wood in the Numedal Valley.

    Exterior door decoration

    Interior Decoration

    If you are lucky enough to see the inside of the church, you’re in for a treat. Rollag Stave Church is generally regarded as having one of the most beautiful interiors.

    The decoration is a mix of every generation that has passed through the church. There is art from the early Middle Ages through the baroque and rococo periods right up to the modern day.

    Rollag Stave Church interior (Source: LokalHistorieWiki)

    Benches were never inside stave churches. In Catholic times, you had to stand up and listen to the service, which was in Latin. Benches are a Lutheran addition. Also, the service was in Danish in the Lutheran times.

    The interior is richly painted. For example, on the choir you’ll see depictions of foliage and exotic fruit. These paintings represent the fruits of paradise. Interestingly, the paintings are Catholic motifs that they painted during Lutheran times. Additionally, the altarpiece has a relief of the eucharist. This is a casting of a silver relief found in Frederiksborg Castle Church in Denmark.

    The pulpit is the first rococo artifact in Numedal. Most importantly, it has one panel for each of the four evangelists. The fifth panel has the inscription “Painted in 1763 by E. Dram”. He worked on decorations in Kongsberg Church and Veggli Stave Church.

    In the 1770s, all the interior wall decorations were painted over in blue paint. They were uncovered again in the 1932 restoration.

    What makes this church different than others?

    I find this church is unique when it comes to its Danish influence. Not architectural influence, but rather the decorations both inside and out.

    Around the church

    The stone wall around Rollag Stave Church

    In the cemetery you’ll see an old stone wall. Some stone slabs have a rather ring for horses. Moreover, the birch trees were planted along the wall in 1936. Some graves are from the early 19th century. The church used to have a tomb cellar under the choir, but it was filled in with sand in 1870.

    Also in the cemetery, close to the Christian V monogram, is an ancient stone cross. It’s not known when this was placed here or why. One theory is that this site was an ancient gathering place for Christians before they got a church. Close by is the historic Rollag farmstead, and it’s known that churches were built on the wealthiest properties.

    Close by is the Rollag Vicarage. It has six buildings and is heritage listed. The oldest part is from 1630, and the bishop’s home is from 1720. It still is the parish priests residence and is therefore private property. Just south of the church is the disused Numedalsbanen.

    The church today

    Rollag Stave Church is still owned by the congregation and still functions as the parish church. Every other Sunday from March to November, the congregation comes here. The villagers are very proud of their church, and rightly so!

    During the summer months, between mid-June and mid-August, the church is open to the public daily from 11am to 5pm.

    Visiting Rollag Stave Church

    When driving on the Fv40 (the main road through the Numedal Valley), you’ll see the turnoff for the church – it’s marked as a brown sign. Note that it’s in Norwegian, so it says “Rollag stavkirke”. The church is 6km off the main highway, and you drive through beautiful farmland. The road you’ll drive on is Rollagsvegen, and you don’t need to go back to this turn-off after visiting the church. I recommend following Rollagsvegen until it rejoins the Fv40. It’s such a beautiful drive.

    You will see a tiny parking place when approaching the church, but if you drive past it you’ll reach a larger parking lot. Parking is free.

    Church of Norway website: https://kirken.no/nb-NO/fellesrad/Rollag/kirker/rollag-stavkirke/

    Medieval Week in the Numedal Valley + Visitor Information: https://middelalderuka.no/index.php/en/stavkirker/rollag-stavkirke

    Numedal Valley Travel Guide Stave Church Guide

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  • Kongsberg, Numedal Valley, Oslo & the East, Stave Churches

    Flesberg Stave Church

    Flesberg Stave Church

    Flesberg Stave Church is the first stave church you’ll pass when making your way up the historic Numedal Valley from Oslo towards Geilo. However, it doesn’t really look like a stave church. That’s because it was extended in the early 18th century. They removed most of the stave church. Still, there is a story with this church, and it’s well worth a stop on your Numedal road-trip. Here’s my overview of Flesberg Stave Church.

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    The original stave church

    The first written description of Flesberg Stave Church is from 1359. It’s believed the church is from the latter half of the 1100s or the first half of the 1200s. The church was a single nave church with four-free standing internal posts bearing a central raised roof. It is the stave church category ‘churches with elevated naves’, in the same category as churches like Borgund, Gol, Lom and Kaupanger.

    We know what Flesberg used to look like. Luckily, one of the first-ever paintings of a stave church is of Flesberg from 1701, shortly before it they rebuilt it. From this, we can see how much Flesberg looked like the churches mentioned above.

    Flesberg Stave Church in the 1930s (Source)

    Rebuilding the church

    The priest in the 1730s, Johannes Berthelsen, complained the church was too small. So, they made plans to expand the church. In 1735, the chancel and aspe, as well as the east nave, were removed. They added two transepts. The new church was a cruciform plan. The new additions were not built in the stave style, but rather the modern horizontal log style. In 1792, they rebuilt the roof.

    The stave church choir was torn down. Moreover, the middle poles were removed. It’s not known how many poles stood here, but there are traces of corner bars.

    The only part of the original stave church is on the western side.

    Stave decorations

    On the west portal you can see stave decorations. You’ll see carved vines and animal ornamentation. These are only tiny remnants of the original decor.

    Today Flesberg has little in common with the other stave churches. There are so few indications of the original church.

    Churchyard

    The churchyard is fence with slate from the Haukeli farm on the west bank of the Lågen River. Some slates have iron rings attached to them; this was for the horses. The oldest ring is from 1661.

    The stone fence is shown in the 1701 painting. The fence is at least that old.

    Outside the church you’ll find some very old gravestones. Moreover, there is also a blue plaque saying that elections took place at this church in 1814. This isn’t unique; many churches in Norway have this blue plaque.

    Restoration Work

    They did an extensive restoration in the 1870s, but it did no favours for the stave part of the church. The National Heritage Board did a new renovation between 1955 and 1965. This renovation brought the church back to its 18th century appearance.

    Exterior decoration

    The western portal of the ship is where you’ll find some exterior decoration. The entrance has two lion figures above it. The posts on either side of the doorway are richly decorated with carved vines and animal ornamentation.

    Interior. From Wikipedia.

    Interior decoration

    The interior of the church is well known. It’s not open to the public all the time (see below), so there is a chance you won’t be able to see inside. I didn’t get the opportunity to see inside, but I still think it’s worth putting an overview here.

    The interior of the church is redecorated to look like the church did in 1735. There are very few remains of its medieval era. The whitewashing on the walls was removed in the 1950s. They discovered decorative paintings from the Middle Ages. Some fixtures date back to the Middle Ages, including a bell and the baptismal font. Otherwise, the pulpit is from the 1600s and the chandeliers are from the 18th century. The 1701 painting of the church is inside.

    Flesberg town

    Flesberg is a sleepy community with little opportunities for shopping or sightseeing. This is partly because the town is close to Kongsberg, a large and famous Norwegian town known for its historic mines.

    The name Flesberg comes from an old farm. The Flesberg Stave Church is built on the farm. This is very common in small towns in Norway. They built churches on the richest farms, and eventually the farms became the towns. Fles means ‘rock’ and berg means ‘mountain’.

    Today around 1,172 people live in Flesberg. Forestry and agriculture are the main industries. Many people in Flesberg commute to nearby Kongsberg.

    Visiting the church

    Flesberg is open throughout the summer (late June to early August) on Tuesdays – Fridays and Sunday fro 12pm to 5pm.

    Tickets are 35 NOK pp.

    The Numedal Valley, which is the best preserved medieval valley in Norway, has a Medieval Week. If you happen to be in Numedal during Medieval Week, the church is open every day from 12pm to 5pm.

    Flesberg is still an active church for the community.

    Flesberg is located on the Fv40 highway that connects Kongsberg to Geilo in central-eastern Norway. It is marked with brown signs saying “Flesberg stavkirke”.

    We parked across the street, where there is a large parking area.

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